Advocacy
Advocacy & Alliance for Kids
The Alliance for Kids (Alliance or AFK) Council may openly and publicly support public policies and legislative issues which are consistent with the Alliance’s Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan. Click below to view our complete guidelines and procedures for supporting legislation.
Legislative Priorities and Impacts
As the leading voice for kids at the state Capitol and across Colorado, the Colorado Children’s Campaign has identified a number of priorities for the 2022 legislative session. Focus areas include child health, K-12 education, early childhood, and family economic security and housing.
2022 Legislative Priorities – click HERE.
2021 Legislative Impacts – Click HERE
Additional Resources for Contacting Officials:
- Find my Colorado State Legislature Senator or Representative
- Find my U.S. Senators and Leadership
- Find my U.S. Representative
- Colorado Nonprofit Association link to Colorado’s Members of Congress: coloradononprofits.org
- League of Women Voters link to finding all elected officials: lwvcolorado.org
HB22-1295 | Department of Early Childhood
Through its Legislative Advocacy Procedure, HB22-1295 received a vote of support by the Alliance for Kids Council, allowing for the promotion of this legislation in our communications.
House Bill 22-1295 give Colorado lawmakers a chance to further ensure equity and access to Colorado’s early childhood system by ensuring the new Department of Early Childhood gives families and providers 1) An accountable, transparent early childhood system led by a single state agency that streamlines programs and reduces burdens on families, providers, and programs 2) A unified application for early childhood services that matches families to funding and providers 3) A new universal preschool program for all kids the year before kindergarten, with more hours and access to programming at younger ages for families who most benefit from high quality preschool. 4) An integrated set of early childhood programs and services that support child development, parental success, and improved health and well-being for all families.
HB21-1304 | Department of Early Childhood
FINAL UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS APPROVED!
Access the Final Universal Preschool Recommendations HERE and Executive Summary HERE. The approval of this report signals a critical milestone for our state. The universal preschool program, which will be overseen by the new Department of Early Childhood, will give all Colorado families the opportunity to access 10 hours of high-quality early care and education per week, per child, in the year prior to the child entering kindergarten. It is set to launch in 2023.
UPDATE: HB21-1304, a bipartisan bill to create a state agency for early childhood in Colorado, has passed and is on its way to the Governor’s desk! This bill will have a life-changing impact on Colorado kids for generations to come!
Colorado has a unique opportunity to reimagine the existing patchwork of early childhood programs to create a more navigable and equitable framework for all Colorado families and providers. This legislative session, we must elevate early childhood to the importance it deserves. Addressing the burdens faced by families seeking early childhood services is more important than ever, and by establishing more streamlined early care and education programs, we can provide young children with the critical resources they need to thrive.
If the bill creating a new state agency passes this spring, the Early Childhood Leadership Commision hopes to launch the agency by 2023 at the latest. This momentous change could result in more streamlined, accessible early childhood programs that alleviate barriers to access currently faced by Colorado families and providers. Colorado can become a place where a supportive world of childhood experiences helps families and children on their path to kindergarten entry and beyond.
Visit the Colorado Children’s Campaign microsite to learn more!
HB21-1222 | Regulation of FCCHs
This bill would reduce burdensome regulations family child care homes (FCCHs) face by simply requiring local regulatory entities to treat family child care homes as residences for regulatory purposes such as zoning, fire, life safety, and building codes. Given that state licensing regulations already require FCCHs to meet health and safety standards to ensure the well-being of all children in care, this change would prevent additional or conflicting regulations from being placed on FCCH providers above state licensing requirements.
Check out the full fact sheet and list of endorsements, including Alliance for Kids:
Alliance for Kids Endorses Proposition EE
Proposition EE PASSES! Thank you to all for supporting this important step forward!
Read the Ballot Measure HERE and check out our video endorsement!
Our teen vaping rate is one of the highest in the country, yet Colorado does not tax vaping products. Even our tax on cigarettes is among the lowest in the country. At the same time, our public education system is facing drastic budget cuts due to the global pandemic. And thousands of Colorado families are struggling to pay for food, rent and health care, putting essential preschool education for their children well beyond their reach.
A YES vote on Proposition EE can change this.
We know that raising taxes on tobacco and vape products help people–particularly our teens–quit using and discourage them from ever starting. We have the chance to protect our teens, help our public schools and provide universal, free preschool for all Colorado four-year-olds. By increasing taxes on tobacco products and closing the tax loophole on vape products, we can boost our public health and support each child’s education.
A YES vote on Proposition EE creates a brighter, healthier future for Colorado kids.
Our Advocacy Partner - Colorado Children's Campaign
The Colorado Children’s Campaign (CCC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization committed since 1985 to realizing every chance for every child in Colorado. The CCC advocates for the development and implementation of data-driven public policies that improve child well-being in health, education and early childhood by providing Coloradans with trusted data and research on child well-being and organizing an extensive state-wide network of dedicated child advocates.
From the Colorado Children’s Campaign, The West Steps dives into the policies and politics that come out of the Colorado State Capitol. This insider guide is for outsiders who wonder how laws that affect the lives of Coloradans— especially kids.
The West Steps is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get podcasts.
Legislative Updates from Colorado Children's Campaign
2021 Legislative Impacts – Click HERE
Children’s Campaign 2021 Legislative Priorities Final – Click HERE
The Children’s Campaign shared a legislative update at the January 2020 meeting of the AFK Community Network. Below are the handouts provided:
- 2020 Legislative Priorities
- 2019-20 Legislation Budget and Ballot Items
- Early Milestones Colorado Brief on Colorado’s Early Childhood Education Workforce
- Early Milestones Colorado Brief on Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
- Career & Education Pathways for the Early Childhood Education Workforce (HB 20-1053)
- Nicotine Tax & Preschool Ballot Measure Key Provisions
Sign Up for the Colorado Children's Campaign Blog
The KidsFlash blog lets you stay up to date on the latest child well-being news from the Colorado State Capitol and around the state. Find data and research on child health, early childhood education and development, K-12 education, and more. Track legislation and policies affecting Colorado’s kids.Get the inside scoop on the Children’s Campaign’s outreach efforts, fundraising, and advocacy events, as well as efforts being undertaken by the It’s About Kids and Circle of Friends networks. It’s your connection to making a difference in the lives of Colorado’s children.
2020 Kids Count in Colorado!
The 2020 edition of KIDS COUNT in Colorado! examines the current state of preschool in Colorado—the need, the access, and the opportunity—as lawmakers consider expanding access to the Colorado Preschool Program and Gov. Jared Polis calls for improved access to quality preschool statewide.
This 27th edition of the annual focus on well-being of Colorado children and families provides a foundation of data and research to guide the policy making of state and local leaders. This year’s report, Creating a Path Forward for Colorado’s Kids, explores what a significant expansion in preschool access would mean to Colorado’s young children. Researchers examined barriers to quality early learning faced by kids with the most obstacles to learning—and how an expansion toward a universal system should put them first.
White House Principles for Child Care Reform: Increasing Access to Affordable, High Quality Child Care in America
Posted December 9, 2019
Today, more Americans are working than ever before. Virtually every demographic is achieving historic low unemployment rates. As the Trump Administration’s policies continue to fuel economic growth, we have seen millions of Americans come off the sidelines and rejoin the workforce. In fact, job openings have exceeded the number of job seekers for well over a year. Maintaining that growth will require strengthening policies to support working families, including increasing access to affordable, high quality child care.
Legislation Supported by Alliance for Kids
2021: HB21-1222 and HB21-1304
Proposition EE – 2020 Ballot Measure
February 2018: The Alliance for Kids Council voted to support three items of pending legislation below (view flyer). This allows us to advocate by sharing the information with our community of families, partners, and early childhood professionals.
HB18-1208: Expand Child Care Expenses Income Tax Credit
HB18- 1004: Renewing the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit
SB18- 099: Align Early Childhood Quality Improvement Programs
For a summary please reference the documents below:
2018 Legislative Session Early Childhood Summary
2018 Continuation of the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit Fact Sheet
